365: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
scripture for today: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
prayer emphasis: Pray for your city
365: 1 Thessalonians 4-5
scripture for today: 1 Thessalonians 4-5
prayer emphasis: Pray for Albania as they rebuild a healthy and productive society and for the unreached people groups residing there.
365: 1 Thessalonians 1-3
scripture for today: 1 Thessalonians 1-3
prayer emphasis: Pray for the spiritual growth of our church family
365: Colossians 1-4
scripture for today: Colossians 1-4
prayer emphasis: Ask God for opportunties to serve Him and others
think about it: Colossians 1:9-13
Have you ever said to someone, “I’ll pray for you” or been really troubled about one of your kids? You know you should pray for them and you want to pray for them, but what exactly do you pray for?
I heard Dr. Charles Stanley preach a sermon on how to pray for your children. It has remained a valuable teaching to me. In Colossians 1:9-13, there is a guide about specifically how to pray for someone.
It first reminds us that we are not to stop praying. We are to ask for God to fill us with both the knowledge and understanding of His will. We are to pray that we will live a life worthy of the Lord and that we please Him in every way. We are to bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of the Lord as we grow in strength, endurance and patience. We are to joyfully give thanks to God who has given us the blessing of sharing in the inheritance of the saints.
I want to give testimony to the power and strength of praying these scriptures over those that we love and care about. I have had some times that I did not know how to specifically pray for my children and my grandchildren, but this section of scripture in Colossians has given me courage, confidence, and strength in my prayer life. It is a joy and comfort to me to know that no matter what I know or don’t know, God already has it covered.
provided by Jane Ann Welch
365: Philippians 1-4
scripture for today: Philippians 1-4
prayer emphasis: Pray for the political situation in Afghanistan and the 70 people groups who have not been reached for the gospel
think about it:
I read a book by Chuck Swindoll years ago on Philippians. He called it Maybe it’s time to … Laugh Again. Experience Outrageous Joy. Philippians is a letter of joy written to the Christians in Philippi by Paul while he was in prison. I guess that is why I have always enjoyed reading it. It seems we have forgotten how to let the joy of the Lord out for others to see. Chuck Swindoll says, “Your smile increases your face value.” I like that. It’s not just us as believers but the world as well. We live in a world of long faces and aching hearts crying for a morsel of joy, a crumb of encouragement. Surely, we as believers can give that out. I am challenged at every checkout counter to leave a cranky person smiling.
Chuck Swindoll gave a great outline for Philippians:
Chapter 1 – There is joy in living, even when we don’t get what we want (1:6-7). We have the best model – Jesus Christ.
Chapter 2 – There is joy in serving. It starts with the right attitude (2:12-13).
Chapter 3 – There is joy in sharing. Paul shares a warning (3:1-2), a testimony (3:3-11), a goal for living (3:12-16), and a command (3:17-21).
Chapter 4 – There is joy in resting (4:6-7, 10-13). We need God’s peace to rest.
It is amazing how contagious a smile is. Try giving one away today!
provided by Nadine Kenney
365: Ephesians 4-6
scripture for today: Ephesians 4-6
prayer emphasis: Ask God to give you rest
think about it:
The Apostle Paul, as usual, has given himself as a great teacher to the church at Ephesus in these wonderful chapters. As much as I would love to read God’s Word and memorize whole passages and wow the masses of my Bible study class and the other people in my circles with my Biblical knowledge and proper theology, Paul will not let me. Simply, these letters demand a practical, horizontal essence of my theological study. Paul instructs the “saints”, the “faithful” to live out their devotion to the scriptures and to their God, as unified, diversified, uniquely gifted, and humbly devoted to the Lord, through one another.
The use of the mouth toward others, about others seems to be a common theme for Paul. He certainly says it is under our watch. Just like in the book of James, Paul reminds the saints that “bitterness, rage, and anger” in the heart is to be eradicated from the Christ-follower, because it will end up on the lips towards others. Nothing can grieve the Holy Spirit quite like that in the Body of Christ.
In many ways, a clear overview of these chapters that speak of unity, diversity, unique gifts, husband and wives relationships, and speaking truth, not simply opinion can be summed up in the first verse of chapter 5: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Paul is calling the Body of Christ to, “Be careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (5:15). In other words, imitate Christ with one another. This beautiful, sacrificial life is what expresses the Christ-like life within the Body.
This harmonious unity is a fragrant offering to the Lord, Himself. It is not just a moment to “just get along” with each other. It has a purpose that is dear to the heart of God. The Lord gave the diversity and mandated unity within the diversity. Here is the reason: chapter 4:11-13 says, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
God’s purpose is supernatural for His Body. He will make us all different, gift each uniquely, with varying passions for service, bring us together, give us His Holy Spirit, command us to walk in the Spirit, and live in mature love for one another for a “mission impossible” lifestyle. God alone gets all the credit and glory for taking our submission to “one another out of reverence for Christ”(5:21) and disclosing His indisputable power within His Church. What a thing of beauty to pursue!
The Apostle Paul closes these chapters with one of most wonderful blessing to all Christ-followers: “Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love” (6:23-24).
provided by Clay Withers
365: Ephesians 1-3
scripture for today: Ephesians 1-3
prayer emphasis: Pray for the sanctity of human life
think about it: Ephesians 2:11-13
I could be wrong – I have been once or twice – but when I read scripture, I picture most places of the Bible as pretty small and rustic, with dirt roads, very few houses built from stone, many tents, animals in the street, etc. Maybe that is because Exodus shows the Jews wandering around in the desert for 40 years. Imagine my surprise, then, when I walked into the ruins at Ephesus.
Located in present-day Turkey, Ephesus was at one time a thriving port city. Big ships brought in their cargo where it was loaded onto chariots that transported it on the cobblestone roads. It had a huge theater where Paul and Stephen preached, a theater so well built acoustically that concerts are given to this day without the need for amplifiers. The chariots would continue their journey past an enormous library and public baths until finally arriving in the heart of the city. As impressed as I was by what I saw, I didn’t realize until later that I barely saw any of the city at all! I only walked as far as the library. Beyond that sprawled a massive city, which looked much like what I picture when I think of ancient Rome.
This letter from Paul to the church in Ephesus proves its importance to him. The fact that this was a church of Gentiles proves its importance to us. Paul writes, “… remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh … were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the word. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13 NAS)
I wonder, though, how the Jews felt about Paul’s inclusion of a group of Gentiles. How did they feel about letting outsiders into their group? Did they welcome them with open arms? Were they offended by them? Were they jealous? Did they criticize the way they dressed and the food that they ate?
How do we feel about letting outsiders into our “group”? Do we welcome people who don’t dress “properly”? Do we ignore those who wear their hair differently or have tattoos? Do we speak to them the same as we do to our friends in Bible Study or worship service? Did Jesus tell anyone they had to go home and clean up before He would heal them? There is a fine line between being respectful in church and turning people away because we don’t approve of them. While we want to be good stewards of the blessings God has given us by taking care of the building and everything in it, we don’t want to give people the impression that God doesn’t want them here. After all, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19 NAS). Christ made us all equal by dying for all of us – even that guy who cut in front of you this morning coming to work!
provided by Trudy Buehler
365: Galatians 4-6
scripture for today: Galatians 4-6
prayer emphasis: Pray for the continued growth of Christianity in the Pacific
think about it: Galatians 6:2
I have always loved this verse, yet it always made me a little uncomfortable. I love the verse because I am one of those people that wants to help anyone and everyone I can. You know when you go to a job interview and they ask for your biggest faults or areas that you need to work on? Well, mine has been “saying no” for a long time. I find it difficult to say no and to let people down. This isn’t the message of this verse at all, but I do love the thought of being there for one another. Being able to help each other in significant ways. Sometimes it’s financial help, sometimes it’s heavy lifting, and sometimes it is a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes it’s prayer and accountability. Regardless of what we think the verse really wants us to bear, it simply says, “Carry each other’s burdens.” It doesn’t take a complicated program at a church or some outreach event to see someone’s needs. And it shouldn’t take anyone twisting our arm for us to get up and bear the burden with someone.
Admittedly, this makes me uncomfortable at the same time. To admit to someone else that I have the burden that I need help carrying… yes, that is a little uncomfortable. That’s vulnerability, but that’s real community. The verse doesn’t say that those of us without burdens should carry the burdens of the big loser that has a burden. No, it says we are to carry “each other’s.” That is the moment that the scared feeling should go away. The truth is, we all have burdens and God never meant for us to carry them alone! What is burdening your heart that you need help with? Is there someone around you that you need to step up and help carry the load? (That answer is yes; you just may not see it yet.)
provided by James Harding
365: Galatians 1-3
scripture for today: Galatians 1-3
prayer emphasis: Ask God to speak to you today
365: 2 Corinthians 11-13
scripture for today: 2 Corinthians 11-13
prayer emphasis: Ask God for opportunities of generosity
